Chapter 488 - 488 The Purest Demon
Nira floated over to Aslena and wrapped her in a big hug as she said, "Come here, it's alright now. You're doing so much better. You don't need to be sad… and I mean… I'm somewhat to blame as well…"
Aslena tried to burry her head in Nira's shoulder, but her large horns prevented that from working. As soon as Nira saw this, she winced and placed her hand on Aslena's cheek and concentrated. Kat felt her hair getting blown back as a wave of power rushed over her. Nira started to glow a light blue and it spread to Aslena, specifically concentrating around her horns.
Before Kat's eyes she watched Aslena's horns shrinking and Aslena immediately took advantage of the change to properly plant her face into the soft space between Nira's shoulder and breasts. Aslena's arms, legs, and tail wrapped themselves around Nira as much as possible and she started crying again.
"Hey, it's alright, I've got you…" murmured Nira
*Woah… that was… that was so much power.* "Why did you use so much power?" asked Kat
Nira smiled and nuzzled her cheek against the top of Aslena's hair and explained. "I couldn't really use much less Kat. It's hard to hide demonic features, and even harder to temporarily remove them, doubly so if it's somewhat else's even if you have the abilities for it. I can change people around quite a bit, but changing around demonic features is the worst. Still, it's worth it so I can hug my cute little daughter properly"
Aslena murmured something as a response, but it wasn't truly coherent so Kat wasn't able to guess what was supposed to have been said. Nira took a long breath and said, "You know, I feel like I might have messed up more than before. I mean… I didn't want you guys to fight, and I did want you to figure things out Aslena but… I didn't realise you'd take this so hard you know?
"And… I know I said you wouldn't have understood until more recently but… maybe I'm just trying to make myself feel better? I mean… I could have tried you know? Really tried with some proper ideas I might have been able to mend bridges. Maybe be more forceful about the therapy ideas? Did you guys know I actually go to therapy once a year? It's not as much as maybe I should but I'm a lot older and I sort of know how to watch these things…"
Kat just sort of floated awkwardly nearby as Nira started rambling. *She's really getting hit hard by this. I thought I felt bad dragging this all out of her, but she's just doing it herself this time. Hmm, does that mean she wanted to chat and I helped? Or I broke the dam and now the water is continuing to spill out. I'm not exactly thrilled with either options. The first means I can't tell when someone needs to talk, and the second is self evident…*
"No it's ok" said Aslena pulling herself out of Nira's chest just to say it clearly. "I… I'm fine. Or well… I will be."
"I'm sorry dear." Said Nira "I… should I have tried? Would it have been better? I didn't want to risk your dreams amongst other things… and… well, you did get punished for it… what I felt was a reasonable amount…"
Aslena sighed and looked over at Kamiko who was taking this chance to just float around. She was on her back away from the rest of them floating around with a happy grin on her face. She wasn't really paying attention to the rest of them, and was mostly basking in the joy that came with having a Aslena as sister that cared about her for the first time since she could remember.
"Hey Kamiko?" Aslena said hesitantly. When Kamiko's eyes turned to her, Aslena swallowed the spit pooling in her mouth and frowned. "I'm… I'm sorry for this but… as much as I realise how bad I've been… and… and I wish I was nicer to you… if I had to pick as a trade… I… I don't necessarily regret it. I mean… d-don't get me wrong, if I went back in time or something I would do b-better but… if I could trade away my spot as a designer to stop this pain… I don't think I would"
Now, at this point Aslena was shaking in Nira's arms, but she really did think it needed to be said. She didn't want Kamiko to start having unrealistic ideas about her. She knew she wasn't a good person, and she wanted to change. However, she'd be blind for long enough and wasn't willing to just overlook things with her newfound self awareness. So, despite the tightness in her chest, she said the words. She explained to Kamiko the harsh truth that a large part of her wished the younger demon would never learn.
So when Kamiko's already bright smile just burned brighter, Aslena couldn't keep the shock off her own face. Kat was a bit taken aback as well, but Nira just had a small, knowing smile. "That's fine sis!" said Kamiko
Aslena's eye started twitching as she looked at her mother, with the physical equivalent of 'Aslena.exe has stopped functioning please reset' Kat could only see the side of Aslena's face but even that was enough to practically feel the confusion radiating off of her. Nira gave Aslena a quick peck on the forehead to try and wake her up. It sort of worked. "Eh… um… ergh… amu… wha?" was just a few of the sounds Aslena managed to make.
"I said it's fine Aslena" said Kamiko cheerily. "Look, maybe it wasn't clear when I said it before, but I love you sis. Even if you were… and I guess maybe still are? You haven't had long in the changed position… um… right, even if you are my least favourite sister, you have always been my sister, and I still love you. I admire that you never gave up, even after some of Mom's harsher punishments, I admire how you had a goal from such a young age when I honestly still don't really know what to do.
"I love all your pretty outfits you've made for me and the others. I've never admitted that, but the truth is, I don't think you've made a single poor looking one in the last five years. I think you're adorable when you drink like a litre of tea because you're addicted to the stuff and you haven't realised someone is watching you or that everyone knows you only drink tea using the spatially linked teacup
"And yeah, I've been mad for a long time, or maybe just sad, about the fact you've never really been nice to me. But… you know… I guess… I also sort of starting taking that for granted. I treated it like the status quo, and that it wasn't ever going to change so… you know… I don't even really mind hearing that you wouldn't change it because… well… you wouldn't be YOU otherwise Aslena. I… I don't think you'd still be the same sister you know? It… it would be like you were denouncing all the things that you are if you suddenly decided to trade it all away even for me. So... I mean… thanks."
There was no clear signal, and it wasn't right away. It was a few moments after Kamiko had finished her speech, but all three other demons had paused and turned, waited, and then launched themselves at Kamiko.
Nira had taken off first, dragging Aslena along, but the other demon joined in the swimming before they reached Kamiko. Kat had pushed with most of her might off the wall and rocketed towards the group as well, knowing it was the right thing to do.
Nira arrived first of course, and pulled Aslena around so that Kamiko was squished in between the two. Aslena had untangled her legs from Nira just so that she could wrap them around Kamiko as well, forcing the younger demon to be squished slightly in between them. Kat came in last and wrapped her tail around all three of them, her arms only just barely not up to the task, with her wings fanning out somewhat as well.
"Sometimes I don't think I deserve daughters as good as you both" said Nira
Aslena scoffed, face in Kamiko's hair, "Daughters as good as Kamiko. She's to pure for this world"
Kat shook her head. *No, Nira means what she said,* and the demon in question did mirror those thoughts, putting them into words, "No don't be like that Aslena. I don't deserve you either, despite all the issues you've had with each other, neither of you really caused trouble for me, or much needles worry. I love you both, and I'm so glad you made up. I'm so happy to have you both."